Garment hanger



Sept. 5, 1961 A. J. BELLG 2,998,904

GARMENT HANGER Filed April 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

ALBERT J. BELLG WMQPM ATTORNEY A. J. BELLG GARMENT HANGER Sept. 5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17, 1959 INVENTOR. ALBERT J. BELLG QM, ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,998,904 GAIRMENT HANGER 1 Albert J. Bellg, 2354 Glenwood Ave.,.Toledo, Ohio Filed Apr. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 807,120 1 Claim. (Cl. 223-95) This invention relates to garment hangers but particularly of the type adapted for the hanging of trousers and skirts.

Objects are to improve and simplify hangers of this character for rendering them sturdier and more reliable; to improve their structure for facilitating assembly of parts and insuring their proper relation; to make possible quick and convenient conversion from a trouser hanger to a skirt hanger and vice versa; to enable the hanger to be suspended in any of an infinite number of positions; and generally to produce a simple and efiicient hanger having the new and improved features ofconstruct-io-n, arrangement and operation hereinafter described.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereiafter appear, and for purpose of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown, in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a garment hanger particularly adapted for trousers, a portion being broken away to show the suspension hook construction;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the underside of the tubular hanger bar taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of a fragment of the garment hanger shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional elevation substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the hanger as viewed along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view of an end portion of the tubular hanger bar;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view substantially on line 7-7 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view showing one end portion of the garment hanger to which an adapter has been attached enabling the hanger to be used for skirts;

FIGURE 9 is an end elevation of the structure shown on FIGURE 8 showing another view of the skirt adapter;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view substantially on the line 10-10 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 11 is a top plan view of the skirt adapter device; and

FIGURE 12 is a broken view in vertical section of the skirt adapter, taken substantially on the line 12-12 of FIGURE 11 The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a garment hanger particularly for trousers, although by the addition of a simple adapter it can be used for hanging skirts. As shown the garment hanger comprises an elongate tubular hanger bar 1 which in this instance is of sheet metal and is formed with a slot 2 in the underside extending from end to end. Disposed centrally of the hanger bar and extending through a hole formed in the upper wall thereof is a suspension hook 3, which has a vertical shank 4 (round in cross section) formed at it slower end with a ball 5. The ball 5 is disposed within the tubular bar 1 and provides a stop or abutment for coil springs 6 and 6a disposed within the bar and arranged one on each side of the ball. Thus the sphere or ball 5 is of the proper diameter to fit inside of the coil springs, which fit the contour of the bar 1. The springs are of such length as properly to tension end grip members 7, one being arranged at each end in telescopic engagement with the bar 1, as will hereinafter be described.

The construction above described with respect to the ice suspension hook 3 is such as to enable the hook to be turned to any desired position, the tension of the coil springs being such as to retain the hook in any adjusted position. Thus the suspension hook not only provides a stop for the adjacent ends of the springs 6 and 6a but the arrangement is such that the tension of the springs retains the hook in the desired position and enables it to be turned at will to whatever position is desired. It also enables the suspension hook to have relatively free swiveling movement, which is a desirable feature in a device of this character.

In this instance each of the end grip members 7 is of a tough hard plastic material and is formed with an open ended tubular portion 8 of such diameter as to have 'a sliding fit over thetubular bar 1. The bottom wall of each tubular portion 8 adjacent its inner end portion is formed with an integral upwardly extending flat sided post 9 to extend freely intothe slot 2. The post 9 is formed at its inner end with a cylindrical boss 10 over which the adjacent end of the respective coil spring 6 or 6a fits, the spring seating against a flat surface 11 spaced from the outer end of the boss 10. The outer side of the post 9 at its upper portion is formed with a flat abutment surface 12 and this abutment surface is urged by the respective coil spring against a detent 13 which is formed by pressing a portion of the metal from the tubular bar 1 downwardly such as to form an abrupt shoulder, a portion of the metal being severed and the surface being upwardly and outwardly inclined, as indicated on FIG- URE 4. The detents 13 prevent the respective end gripping members from becoming detached from the tubular bar 1.

Each of the end gripping members 7 is formed at its inner end with an integral upstanding finger piece 14, the

arrangement being such that the two finger pieces 14 may I be simultaneously engaged and forced toward each other thereby compressing the springs 6 and 6a and enabling the garment hanger to be applied to trousers or a skirt asthe case maybe. Each of the end gripping members 7 is formed with a pair of integral depending parallel and laterally spaced plates 15 which as shown are generally triangular in shape and are provided with straight up and down outer edges equipped with teeth 16 for positively engaging and holding the trousers in hanging position.

From the above it will be understood that the finger pieces 14 are grasped between the thumb and forefinger of one hand and pressed together to slide the end gripping members 7 toward each other along the hanger bar 1, in opposition to the coil springs 6 and 6a to position the toothed edge portions 16 for insertion into the legs of the trousers held in the other hand. Upon relieving the pressure of the finger pieces 14, the end gripping members 7 are forced by the coil springs outwardly along the hanger bar to force the plates 15 into gripping position in the legs of the trousers as will be readily understood. The hanger may be suspended by the suspension hook 3 from the usual horizontal hook or any other fixed support, the swiveling movement and free turning movement of the suspension hook enabling the hanger to be suspended in any desired arrangement.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 8 to 12 of the drawings, a skirt adapter for attachment to the tooth edged plates 15 is shown. The skirt adapter comprises an elongate piece 17 which is semi-circular in cross section and is formed with a series of-horizontally disposed toothed ribs 18. The piece 17 is formed with a short upper end wall 19 which is disposed directly beneath the tubular portion 8. Integral bottom and intermediate walls 20 each are formed with a pair of side slots 21 at the outer sides to fit over the outer edges of the plates 15. Suitable adhesive may be employed to adhere the skirt adapters to the plates 15 if that is desired to insure retention of the adapter on the end gripping members 7.

When the skirt adapters are mounted on the hanger, the rounded contour thereof is such as to fit the narrow end portion of the skirt and the ribbed construction insures the retention of the garment in place. The application of the hanger to the skirt will be manifest from the above description.

Numerous changes in details and construction arrange ment operation and choice of materials may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially defined in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a garment hanger, an elongate tubular hanger bar provided with an elongate slot in its under wall extending from end to end of the bar, a coil spring means disposed within said hanger bar, an end gripping member disposed at each end portion of the hanger bar fitting over same throughout its length and slidable thereon, each gripping member comprising a one-piece plastic member having an open ended tubular portion slidably fitting over the hanger bar, a post integral with the tubular portion and extending through the slot into the interior of the hanger bar for sliding movement therein, the connection between the post and the tubular portion being such as to slide freely in the hanger bar slot, an integral seat at the inner end of the post for the adjacent end of the coil spring means, a stop surface at the outer end of the post and integral therewith and arranged closely to said seat, a detent in the form of a lip struck down from the hanger bar and depending inside thereof to provide an abutment for said stop surface, said detent being at all times disposed within the gripping member and concealed thereby, a pair of parallel laterally spaced plates depending from and integral with each end gripping member, and a finger piece upstanding from and integral with the upper portion of the inner end of said tubular portion of each gripping member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

